'The Ultimate Fighter: Australia vs. U.K.' to air on ESPN in United Kingdom

The UFC’s next international edition of “The Ultimate Fighter” has a television home in the United Kingdom.

“The Ultimate Fighter: Australia vs. U.K. – TheSmashes” will air on ESPN in the U.K. starting Sept. 19, the same night the season debuts on FX in Australia. UFC officials on Wednesday announced the news.

All episodes of the season then will air at midnight on Wednesdays on ESPN in the U.K., with the regular season wrapping up on Dec. 5. Episodes outside of the U.K. and Australia will stream on TUF.tv.

The Australia vs. U.K. edition of the UFC’s popular reality series is the third to take place outside the United States. This past spring, “TUF Brazil” debuted and was a big success in that country, culminating with a pay-per-view featuring the middleweight and featherweight finals at UFC 147 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

On Tuesday, the UFC made official its fourth international TUF with the announcement of “The Ultimate Fighter: India,” which is expected to take place in 2013.

This past week, the UFC announced the cast for the Australia vs. U.K. edition, nicknamed “TheSmashes” – a play on an old cricket rivalry between the two.

Eight lightweights and eight welterweights make up the cast and will be split into teams of eight – four from each division – coached by UFC fighters George Sotiropoulos, of Australia, and Ross Pearson, of England. The two coaches then will meet in a season-ending fight on Dec. 14 at UFC on FX 6 in Australia. (The card will take place Dec. 15 in Australia, but with the time difference will air live on Friday, Dec. 14, in the States.)

That card also will feature the welterweight and lightweight finals of the reality series, plus a middleweight bout between Australia resident Hector Lombard and Rousimar Palhares.

When the cast was announced, UFC President Dana White already was bullish on what he believes the fan reaction to the series will be.

“These guys have definitely made the second international ‘TUF’ show can’t-miss TV,” White stated. “Going into this thing, I had no idea just how much the Aussies and the Brits can’t stand losing to each other. Now I know.”